A Message from NMEA on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

Dear Scuttlebutt and NMEA Members,

The April 20-22, 2010 destruction of the Deepwater Horizon oil platform, and the subsequent (and currently unabated) flow of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, has resulted in the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history and arguably one of the worst human-induced environmental catastrophes in modern history.

Aside from the immediate tragedy of 11 deaths during the explosion of the rig, the spill promises to significantly alter the marine and coastal ecology of the Gulf of Mexico immediately and for years to come. Effects of the spill will no doubt also have significant impacts on the lifestyle, livelihoods and economy of the Gulf region, and beyond, well into the future. Our thoughts go out to our colleagues and all residents of the Gulf, human and otherwise - we may not all be fortunate enough to call that uniique and beautiful region of our country home, but we do hold its waters, beaches, barrier islands, estuaries and salt marshes close to our hearts.

As an organization and community of people dedicated to promoting marine and aquatic education and stewardship, this catastrophe is a personal one to all of us in varying degrees. Understandably, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, helpless and angry as a result of the scope and circumstances of the spill. There may not be much that we can do directly and immediately to stop the flow of the oil, but we all hold the power to react in multiple and meaningful ways. For those of us close enough to the event, we can become directly involved in the mitigation efforts and encourage others to join us. As educators, we can all use our skills to inform and provide resources to our audiences to help them understand the ecological relationships and impacts of the spill on the environments we hold so dear, including what they can do to help ensure that such an event never happens again. As individuals, we can reflect on how our own personal choices and practices can help to promote more environmentally sound energy policy, and share science-based best practices with others. In short, we can take some control of this catastrophe by doing what we do best - making known the world of waater, both fresh and salt.

The following are several suggested venues for sharing information and resources related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill:

• To participate in a general discussion about the oil spill visit the new Bridge Ocean Science Education Blog: http://bridge.blogs.wm.edu/
• To find and share relevant educational resources visit the Bridge: http://www.marine-ed.org/bridge/
• To nominate a relevant web site for inclusion on the Bridge: http://www2.vims.edu/bridge/search/nominate.cfm

Sincerely,